jones



March 24', 1964 JONES 3,126,457

MULTIPLE SWITCHING ASSEMBLY Filed July 1, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR.

mrfm March 24, 1964 JONES MULTIPLE SWITCHING ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed July 1. 1960 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,126,457 MULTIPLE SWITCHING ASSEMBLY Edward A.Jones, 11251 Bromont Ava, Pacoima, Calif. Filed July 1, 1960, Ser. No.40,362 3 Claims. (Cl. 200-) This invention relates to electric switchesand more particularly to an electric switch assembly utilizing aplurality of electrical switching units.

In many applications a plurality of electrical switches are so arrangedand electrically connected that they must be operated in a given programor sequential series and it is necessary that no more than one switch beoperable at the same time. That is, for example, in many types ofcontrol centers and complex electrical circuitry, it is necessary toutilize a large number of switches to carry out various functions of thecircuit or the apparatus in such a manner that the operation of oneswitch must precede another. For many similar reasons it is imperativethat a switching arrangement be utilized in which two switches cannot beoperated simultaneously.

The present invention provides a gang switch whereby a plurality ofelectrical switching units are utilized in a single switching assemblyin such a manner that only one of the switching units can be operated ata given time. The types of switches employed in connection with thepresent invention are push-type switches which are depressed to actuate.By means of the present invention the depression of one switch causesthe release of any other previously depressed switch in the assembly andonly one switch can be depressed at a time.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an electricalswitching assembly in which a plurality of push-button type switches areutilized, whereby only one of the plurality can be actuated at a time.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such anelectrical switching assembly which is simple in construction andpositive in action.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electricalswitching assembly including a plurality of push-button type switcheswherein the depression of one switch automatically releases a previouslydepressed switch of the plurality.

It is afurther object of the present invention to provide such aswitching assembly which includes a plurality of push-button typeswitches wherein an interlock in the apparatus retains a first switch inthe down or actuated position until the first switch is released by thedepression of a second switch in the assembly.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of theinvention both as to its organization and method of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understoodfrom the following description considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which a presently preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expresslyunderstood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose ofillustration and description only, and are not intended as a definitionof the limits of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation of a presently preferred embodiment ofthe present invention utilizing three push-button type switches as anillustrative embodiment;

FIGURE 2 is a partial view in section taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view in elevation taken along line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a plan View, partly in section, of the track 3,126,457Patented Mar. 24, 1964 ice 2 assembly of the present invention takenalong line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a view in elevation corresponding to FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a view in section taken along line 66 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a view in section taken along line 77 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 8 is an exploded view in perspective showing the various elementsof the track assembly of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, three switches are utilized throughoutthe following specification as illustrative of the invention. It is tobe understood that the present invention is equally applicable to anyplurality of switches and that the use of three switches is illustrativeonly. The switches which are shown in connection with the presentinvention are of an illustrative type only, and other switches forcarrying out various functions by way of a switch which is depressed foractuation or deactuation can also be used. Referring now to FIGURES l, 2and 3, the switching assembly of the present invention includes aplurality of push-button switches A which are positioned within thehousing B. The switches act to actuate circuit elements connected to theswitches by means of terminals C exteriorly of the housing. The switchincludes in general a longitudinally movable section 10 and a stationarysection 11. In the embodiment shown the movable section 10 is aiiixed tothe actuating button 12 of the switch and is movable along thecenter-line 14 of the switch. Thus, hereinafter the movable portion 10of the switch is referred to as the plunger 10 while the stationary member 11 is referred to as the stem 11. The switches shown are thus twoposition switches. For clarity and simplicity of discussion it will beassumed that the switches are onoff switches by which the circuitconnected to the switch is actuated to an on position when the switchand plunger 10 are depressed and released to an off position when theswitch and plunger are released to the up position as shown in FIGURE 1.It is to be understood, however, that the switches utilized in theswitching assembly of the present invention can be employed to operatecircuitry other than in an on-oif manner. No electrical connections areshown to the various terminal C of the plurality of switches. Inaddition, for purposes of clarity of description, the movement of theswitch plunger 10 will be described hereinafter as being vertical suchthat the plunger 10 is vertically movable with respect to the stem 11and the plunger 10 acts as a female unit slidably engaged with the maleunit 11. It will be understood, of course, that the orientation isrelative only.

Upon each of the plungers 10 of the plurality of switches there isaffixed an actuating member 15 as shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3. In thepresently preferred embodiment the actuating member is a ring-shapedmember engaged upon the plunger by means of oppositely disposed locknuts16 at each side thereof. The actuating member 15 includes an integrallyformed actuating arm 17 which extends radially therefrom a substantialdistance. Thus, the actuating arm 17 moves from a first or upperposition to a second or lower position when the switch is depressed andreturns from the lower to the upper position when the switch isreleased. Retention of the actuating arm 17 in either the upper or lowerposition will retain the switch in the corresponding position since theactuating arm is afiixed to the movable portion of the switch. In theembodiment shown, the housing B is rectangular in transversecross-section with a forward housing wall 18. Aifixed to the forwardwall is the track assembly D in accordance with the present invention.

The forward wall 18 is spaced from the center-line of the switch by asubstantial distance and the actuating arm 17 is of suflicient lengththat it extends radially outward from the actuating member by a distancesubstantially equal to, but less than, the distance to the inner surfaceof the forward wall 18. The distance by which the wall is spaced outwardfrom the switch is sufficient to accommodate the track assembly Daffixed to the forward wall. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 3, the trackassembly is connected by means of rivets 19 or other suitable afiixingmembers.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 3-5 the track assembly includes,in general, an actuating arm guide 20, a locking slide 21 and aplurality of interlocking slides 22. The actuating arm guide 20 ismounted stationarily with respect to the forward wall 18 of the assemblyhousing while the locking slide 21 and the interlocking slides 22 aremovable with respect to the housing and actuating arm guide 20. Theactuating arm guide member 20 is an elongate member formed of metalplates or the like and is of substantially right angular transversecross-sectional configuration with an upstanding wall 25 and a {flange26 at the lower edge thereof. The upstanding wall 25 is formed to beafiixed to the front wall 18 of the housing and accordingly openings 27are provided therethrough mateable with the bolts 19 or rivets whichretain the track assembly on the forward wall 18 of the housing. Spacedlongitudinally along the actuating arm guide member are a plurality ofindentations 28 extending from the upper edge 29 of the upstanding wallvertically downward partially through the depth of the wall. Theindentations 28 are spaced longitudinally at a distance corresponding tothe actuating arms 17 of the respective switches in the assembly and thewidth of the indentations 28 are slightly greater than the width of theactuating arm. Thus, the actuating arms are movable vertically withinthe indentations 28 and the depth of the indentations is such that theactuating arm is freely movable from the upper to the lower position.

The locking slide 21 is an elongate plate-like member having a heightsubstantially equal to the height of the upstanding wall of the flange26. The locking slide is resiliently mounted upon the actuating armguide and is longitudinally movable with respect thereto. In theembodiment shown the required longitudinal movement is obtained byforming slots 30 in the locking slide which slots are alignable with theopenings 27 through the wall 25 of the arm guide member 20. The movementis obtained by forming the slots 30 of greater longitudinal extent thanthe fastening means which extend therethrough. Thus, in the embodimentshown, a bolt 19 is used with a nut 31 which includes a bearing shoulder32 which extends from the retaining flange 33 (FIGURE 7) through thethickness of the interlocking slides and the locking slide 21. Thelongitudinal extent of the opening 30 through the locking slide istherefore greater than the diameter of the bearing 32 by an amountsubstantially equal to the longitudinal movement of the locking slidewhich is desired. In order to resiliently mount the locking slide withrespect to the actuating arm guide an indentation 35 is provided in theflange 26 and an ear 37 is formed at the lower edge of the locking slideextending downwardly therefrom by a distance greater than the thicknessof the flange 26. A second ear 38 is formed on the flange 26 to extendtherebelow. Thus, a spring 39 mounted between the ears 37 and 38 intension will urge the locking slide toward the car 38. The direction ofmovement due to the spring is therefore to the left in the figures. Aplurality of indentations 40 are formed in the locking slide extendingdownwardly from the upper edge thereof. The indentations 40 are spacedapart in a mateable arrangement with the fixed indentations 28 of theactuating arm guide 20. The indentations 40 are defined by a verticallyextending edge 41, a bottom edge 42 and a locking edge 43. The bottomedge 42 defining the full width of the indentation is greater than thewidth of the indentation 28 in the actuating arm guide by an amountapproximately equal to the amount of movement of the locking slide. Thelocking edge 43 includes an inwardly extending protrusion 44 having aninwardly and downwardly tapered upper face 45, a substantiallyvertically extending face 46 and a downwardly facing shoulder 47, whichshoulder is spaced above the lower edge 42 of the indentation 40.Although it is substantially vertically extending, the face 46 has aslight downward and outward taper in the presently preferred embodimentof about two percent for ease of release, as will become more apparenthereinafter. The distance between the vertical edge 41 of theindentation and the vertically extending face 46 of the protrusion isaproximately equal to the width of the indentation 28 in the actuatingarm guide 20, and is thus approximately equal to but greater than thewidth of the actuating arm 17 of the switch. The interdependency of theindentations 28 and 40 and the extent of movement by which the lockingslide is moved relative to the actuating arm guide will be more apparenthereinafter in connection with the operation of the apparatus.

The interlocking slides are each elongate plate-like members which aremounted juxtaposed to the locking slide above the flange 26 of theactuating arm guide. The interlocking slides are each movable about oneof the fastening means 19 and are of an elongate length determined bythe distance between the indentations 28 and 44) of the actuating armguide and locking slide respectively. Thus, the interlocking slides areof a height approximately equal to the height of the locking slide.Through each of the interlocking slides 22 there is provided a slot 50substantially equal in length to the slot 30 through the locking slide.The interlocking slide 22 is longitudinally movable about the fastenerbearing 32 in a manner similar to that described in connection with thelocking slide above. The interlocking slides are independently movablealong the assembly and are thus movable with respect to the actuatingarm guide and with respect to the locking slide. The interlocking slideshave a vertically depending end surface 51 and an outwardly anddownwardly inclined end face 52 which is referred to hereinafter as therelease face of the apparatus. The length of the interlocking slides areeach equal to the distance be tween the vertical edge 41 of oneindentation 40a in the locking slide and the vertical wall 54 beneaththe shoulder 47 of the next adjacent indentation 49b.

The operation of the present invention can best be seen by particularreference to FIGURES 4 through 8 of the drawings. As discussedhereinbefore, the three actuating arms 17 of the respective threeswitches are normally urged by the switches themselves to the upperposition. As shown in FIGURE 5, the actuating arm 17a is in the lower oractuated position while the actuating arms 17b and are in the upperposition. From the foregoing it can be seen that when one of theactuating arms 17a is pressed downwardly in the indentation 28 of theactuating arm guide it will urge the locking slide 21 to the right inthe figures by the action of the arm upon the inwardly and downwardlyinclined face 45. Thus, when the plunger 17a is pushed downward in theindentation 28, in order for it to progress downwardly, it causes thelocking slide to be moved to the right against the action of the spring39. When the plunger has been depressed below the vertical edge 46 ofthe protrusion 44 the slide will again be urged to the left by thespring action and the plunger is retained in the downward position bythe shoulder 47 acting upon the upper face 60 of the actuating arm 17.

It can also be seen with reference to FIGURES 4 through 8 andparticularly FIGURE 5, that by the downward movement of the actuatingarm 17 the interlocking slide 22a has been forced to the right by theaction of the actuating arm moving downwardly along the inclined releaseface 52 of the interlocking slide 22a. By the downward movement of theplunger and the corresponding movement to the right of the interlockingslide 22a and the slide 22a has been moved to the position at which itabuts the next adjoining interlocking slide 22b. The surface 52b of theinterlocking slide 22a then blocks the indentations 28 and 40 beneaththe actuating arms 17b and 17c. That is, the interlocking slides are ofsuch length and are free to move through such a longitudinal distancethat they may be separated by the width of a plunger arm but when soseparated are abutted so that they can not be separated any additionalamount sufiicient for the entering of a second one of the actuatingarms. Thus, to further illustrate, if the actutaing arm 17b is depressedit will move downward in the indentation 28b and 40b until it comes torest against the inclined edge 45 of the locking slide. The downwardforce of the actuating arm then urges the locking slide to the right,thereby releasing the actuating arm 17a since the slide is movedsufiiciently to remove the shoulder 47 from above the actuating arm 17a.Subsequently, the actuating arm 17b comes to bear against the releaseface 52b of the interlocking slide 22a and causes it to be urged to theleft in FIGURE 5. The actuating arm 17b cannot descend into the actuatedposition of the switch until the interlocking slide has been movedsufiiciently to the left to clear the indentation 28b and allow thevertical travel of the actuating arm 17b to the position beneath theshoulder 47 of the locking slide.

Accordingly, the interlocking slide 22a cannot move sufficiently far tothe left to allow the depression of the second actuating arm 17b untilthe first actuating arm 17a has been moved upward to the upper positionof the switch. When this upward movement of the actuating arm 17a hascome about, the slide assembly is in a free condition and the actuatingarm 17b will move the interlocking slide 22a to the left whilesimultaneously moving the locking slide 21 to the right until theactuating arm has passed beneath the vertical edge 46 of the indentation40b of the locking slide. The locking slide is then moved to the left bythe spring assembly. The shoulder 47 retains the actuating arm 17b inthe downward position until the interlocking slides and locking slidesare again moved to the position at which the actuating arm 17b can bemoved upward.

Accordingly, it can be seen that the present invention provides aswitching assembly by means of which a plurality of switches can beutilized, which switches are actuated by downward movement of theswitch. The slide assembly prevents the simultaneous actuation of twoswitches and will not allow the actuation of a second switch until thefirst switch has been deactuated.

What is claimed is:

1. A multiple electric switch assembly comprising: a plurality ofswitches, each of said switches including a plunger section movablealong the axis of said switch from a non-actuated to a depressedactuated position of said switch; a housing, said switches positionedupon said housing with the axes thereof substantially parallel; aradially extending actuating arm affixed to said plunger for movementtherewith; a track assembly atfixed to said housing, said track assemblyincluding means for restraining the direction of travel of saidactuating arms linearly from a non-actuated to a depressed position, alocking slide member and a plurality of interlocking members, said slidemember comprising an elongate plate having an upper edge proximate saidarms in the non-actuated position thereof, said slide member beinglongitudinally movable from a first to a second position transversely tothe direction of movement of said arms, said slide member defining aplurality of indentations extending from said upper edge, each of saidindentations being aligned with a respective one of said arms, said armbeing mateable therewith and movable therein to the depressed position,said indentation defining a downwardly facing shoulder above said arm inthe depressed position of said arm when said slide member is in thesecond position thereof; said interlocking members being movabletransverse to the direction of movement of said arms, said interlockingmembers being longitudinally separable to define a space therebetweenaligned with one of said indentations only and movable to define saidspace in alignment with each of said indentations selectively.

2. A multiple electric switch assembly comprising: a plurality ofswitches, each of said switches including a plunger section movablealong the axis of said switch from a non-actuated to a depressedactuated position of said switch; a housing, said switches positionedupon said housing with the axes thereof substantially parallel; aradially extending actuating arm affixed to said plunger for movementtherewith; a track assembly including an elongate guide member, anelongate slide member, and a plurality of elongate interlocking membersin juxtaposed relationship, said slide member and said interlockingmembers being movable from a first to a second position with respect tosaid guide member, each of said members defining indentations extendingfrom the upper edge thereof into which a respective arm of saidplurality is movable, said indentations being aligned at said firstposition of said members, at said first position said interlockingmembers being longitudinally separable to a first position to provide aspace aligned with one of said aligned indentations in said guide memberand slide member, said interlocking members at said first position beingof such length to span each of said remaining plurality of indentations;said slide member defining a downwardly facing shoulder engageable withsaid actuating arm in the depressed position thereof when said slidemember is in said second position.

3. A multiple electric switch assembly comprising: a plurality ofswitches, each of said switches including a plunger section movablealong the axis of said switch from a non-actuated to a depressedactuated position of said switch, a radially extending actuating armaflixed to said plunger for movement therewith, said arm having anupward substantially transverse bearing face and a convex-concave lowersurface; a housing, said switches positioned upon said housing with theaxes thereof substantially parallel; a track assembly including anelongate guide member, a juxtaposed elongate slide member, and ajuxtaposed plurality of elongate interlocking members, said slide memberand said interlocking members being movable from a first to a secondposition with respect to said guide member, said guide member and saidinterlocking member defining indentations extending from the upper edgethereof into which a respective arm of said plurality is movable, saidindentations being aligned at said first position of said slide member,said indentations in said slide member each defining a downwardllyfacing shoulder above said arm in the depressed position of said armwhen said slide member is in the second position thereof, each of saidindentations in said slide member defining an upwardly facing taperedsurface such that said slide member is moved into said first position bysaid convex-concave surface of said actuating arm when said actuatingarm is moved to the depressed position; said interlocknig members beinga plurality of transversely movable members longitudinally separable toa first position to define a space therebetween aligned with one of saidindentations of said guide member and said slide member, said spacebeing substantially equal to the width of said arm, said plurality ofinterlocking members in said first position being in abutting contactwhere said space is not defined to close said indentations except saidone indentation, said plurality being movable to a second position todefine said space in alignment with each of said indentationsselectively, each of said interlocking members having an upwardly facingtapered surface coactable with said convex-concave surface when one ofsaid arms is moved to the depressed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS HorniJune 16, 1931 Hammond Dec. 15, 1936 Mastney et a1. Sept. 3, 1940Matthews et a1. Feb. 11, 1941

1. A MULTIPLE ELECTRIC SWITCH ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OFSWITCHES, EACH OF SAID SWITCHES INCLUDING A PLUNGER SECTION MOVABLEALONG THE AXIS OF SAID SWITCH FROM A NON-ACTUATED TO A DEPRESSEDACTUATED POSITION OF SAID SWITCH; A HOUSING, SAID SWITCHES POSITIONEDUPON SAID HOUSING WITH THE AXES THEREOF SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL; ARADIALLY EXTENDING ACTUATING ARM AFFIXED TO SAID PLUNGER FOR MOVEMENTTHEREWITH; A TRACK ASSEMBLY AFFIXED TO SAID HOUSING, SAID TRACK ASSEMBLYINCLUDING MEANS FOR RESTRAINING THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF SAIDACTUATING ARMS LINEARLY FROM A NON-ACTUATED TO A DEPRESSED POSITION, ALOCKING SLIDE MEMBER AND A PLURALITY OF INTERLOCKING MEMBERS, SAID SLIDEMEMBER COMPRISING AN ELONGATE PLATE HAVING AN UPPER EDGE PROXIMATE SAIDARMS IN THE NON-ACTUATED POSITION THEREOF, SAID SLIDE MEMBER BEINGLONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE FROM A FIRST TO A SECOND POSITION TRANSVERSELY TOTHE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID ARMS, SAID SLIDE MEMBER DEFINING APLURALITY OF INDENTATIONS EXTENDING FROM SAID UPPER EDGE, EACH OF SAIDINDENTATIONS BEING ALIGNED WITH A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID ARMS, SAID ARMBEING MATEABLE THEREWITH AND MOVABLE THEREIN TO THE DEPRESSED POSITION,SAID INDENTATION DEFINING A DOWNWARDLY FACING SHOULDER ABOVE SAID ARM INTHE DEPRESSED POSITION OF SAID ARM WHEN SAID SLIDE MEMBER IS IN THESECOND POSITION THEREOF; SAID INTERLOCKING MEMBERS BEING MOVABLETRANSVERSE TO THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID ARMS, SAID INTERLOCKINGMEMBERS BEING LONGITUDINALLY SEPARABLE TO DEFINE A SPACE THEREBETWEENALIGNED WITH ONE OF SAID INDENTATIONS ONLY AND MOVABLE TO DEFINE SAIDSPACE IN ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OF SAID INDENTATIONS SELECTIVELY.